Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 16,958, John Dollerson, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Dollerson, John Esther
N. 16,958
CONTENTS

Albany 3,212
Esther Dollerson widow of John Dollerson
who died on the — September 1817 of St. Lawrence Co. in the State of N. York who was a Private in the company commanded by Captain Page of the regt. commanded by Col. Smith in the Mass. line for 2 years
Inscribed on the Roll of Albany at the rate of 80 Dollars — Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 5 th day of Feb. 1840 and sent to Hon. John Fine, N. R.
Arrears to the 4th of Sep r 39 680.00 Semi-annual allowance ending 4. Mar ch 40 40.00
$ 720.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836, Section the 3. }
Recorded by D. Brown Clerk Book A. Vol. 2. Page 206
Dead Letter to Hon. P. King & B. Auer 20 March 1846.
Paid at Treasuy, under act 6 April 1838, from 4 March 1844 to 6 August 1844. Agent notified 24 April 1846.

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of July 4 th 1836, & the acts amending the same, granting pensions to the widows of soldiers of the Revolutionary in certain cases
State of New York St. Lawrence County fs:
On this fifteenth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & thirty nine personally appeared before the undersigned, David C. Hudson, a judge of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the County of St. Lawrence & state aforesaid, Esther Dillerson of the town of Oswegatchie in said county & state aged seventy six years, who being first sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration

in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed July 4. th 1836 & the acts amending the same.
That she is the widow of John Dallerison, deceased, who was a soldier of the army of the Revolution. She knows that he went from home to join the army in 1777, but she does not know in what town, or under whom he enlisted, or served. But she is confident, that after his first enlistment he served most of the time until the end of the war. She thinks he enlisted at two different periods, at least. On one occasion it was  was said he enlisted for three years, but was returned for during the war. She will recollect where often seen his discharge which was written on parchment, but she does not recollect its date, or by whom it was signed.

She has not seen said discharge for many years & does not know what has become of the same. At the close of the war her husband went to the town of Attica & commenced business, but after his marriage he came to Lancaster to reside, where he remained for more than thirty years - from there he went to Ohio where he died in September 1817. Deborah continued to reside in Lancaster until 1825, when she came to Oswegatchie aforesaid to reside with her children who are settled in said town. During his life time, her husband often related his services to his family & friends. A few years before his death her husband went to Wooster & obtained money for or on account of Bounties due which he was entitled to,

for his revolutionary services. All the documentary evidence she has showing that she is entitled to a pension is her own affidavit. She further says that her husband used to spell his name Daller- son, though he was usually called Dallison. That people usually called & wrote the name Dallison & some of the children have done so. She well remembers that the Clay- man who married her used to call her husband Dallison & that her husband spoke of it. If the entry in the probate office in Linn County is, as is stated in the original certificate, by spelling the name Dallison, instead of Dallerison it is a mis- take in spelling the name growing out, as she presumes, of her usual pronunciation thereof.

She further says that, the towns of Sturtevant, Stave & Lancaster in the state of Massachusetts are adjoining towns. She has never heard of a person called John Scellison, or Scellerson, as her then her said husband, but is quite confident she should have done so, if there had been any such person in either of said towns, or in that vicinity. After the war her husband told her he had not met in the army any person bearing his family name.
She further says she was a widow on the 4th day of July 1836, & that she has never married since her said husband's death, which was in September 1837, but as he died away from home, deponent does not know the exact day.

She further says the evidence she has is the certificates from the town Clerk of Lancaster & the Secretary State of Massachusetts, the affidavits of Lincoln Morris & Delia M. his wife; the affidavits of Amos Sawyer Elizabeth Whitcomb, & Samuel Dallison hereto annexed.
Sworn & subscribed } Esther her J. Dallerson before me Dec. 16. 1839 } mark
D. C. Hudson Judge
And I the said Judge do hereby certify that after taking the said declaration of the said declarant reading the evidence hereto attached & considering the same, I do declare it as my opinion that the said John Dallison did serve serve in the war of the Revo-

petition as above stated & that the said Declaration was moved to him as she states, & that he the said John Dallerson is now dead & that the said Ethna has remained a widow since his death - that the said Lincoln Moor's, Olga W. Morris & Ransom Hilllet whose affidavits are hereto attached are credible persons & their statements entitled to credit. I further certify that the original papers are hereto attached. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the day & year first above written.
D.C. Hudson Judge S. Dist. County Court

The within named Declarant Esther Dollison appeared before me as an aged woman & infirm so that I should think she could not attend in open court to make her declaration without hazard to her health -
D. C. Hudson Judge etc -
Dated Dec. 16. 1839

State of New York } fs St Lawrence County }
Eliza W. Morris of Ogdenburgh in said County, being duly sworn deposeth & saith that she is a daughter of John & Esther Dollerson family of the town of Leicester in the state of Massachusetts. That she was twenty six years of age at the time of her father's death which took place in 1817. During his lifetime she recollects that her father often related the account of his services as a private soldier in the army of the Revolution. It is her recollection that he claimed to have served nearly or quite the whole period of the war - that he first enlisted for a year & then for three, but was returned for a longer period - she thinks during the war.

She often saw his discharge, which was written on parchment, but she does not recollect who signed it, or its date. She recollects that before his death he went to Worcester & got some money for, or in lieu of his bounty bond. When he returned he informed his family that he was told that he had the most honorable discharge of any of the soldiers. Deponent does not know whether he left it there, or brought it home with him. She has always understood from her father & mother that they were married on the 4 th of July 1786.
Deponent further said, that different branches of her father's family spelled the name differently. Her father often spoke of this, in her hearing. She distinctly recollects his complaining

then his father sworn & subscribed      Eliza W Morris before me Dec. 16. 1839 D. C. Hudson Judge etc

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
SECOND COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE,
March 12 th 1846.
Sir:
Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled "An Act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States," and the third section of the Act of August 23, 1842, extending the time within which pensioners may receive their pensions from the pension agents, 4 of the 5 children of Esther Satterlee, a Pensioner on the Roll of the Albany, N.Y. Agency, at the rate of Eighty Dollars and Cents per annum, under the law of the 4 th July 1836, have been paid at this Department, from the 4 th of March 1844 to the 6 th August 1844,
Respectfully, yours,
William L. Parris
Comptroller.
To the COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS, Present.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Town of Lancaster, County of Worcester Extract from the Town record.
"Marriage consummated by the Reverend "Timothy Harrington, July 14th One Thousand "seven hundred and eighty six, John Dollison of "Sterling and Esther Sawyer of Lancaster. I hereby certify that the above extract is a true copy from the original record with the exception of the date which is expressed on the record in fair legible figures as follows, "July 14th A.D. 1786."
John G. Thurston, Town Clerk I, John G. Thurston, above named depose and say that I hold the office of Clerk in the County, Town, and State aforesaid, and that the above is a true extract from the records of said Town, with the exception above named, as certified by me
John G. Thurston, Clerk of the Town of Lancaster Worcester County ss. Lancaster November 18, 1839
Sworn before me Nathl Chandler Justice of the Peace

State of Massachusetts, Worcester County
ss.
Amos Sawyer of the town of Lancaster in the County of State above named being duly sworn deposeth & saith, that he is a brother of Esther Dallison of the town of Oswegatchie in the County of St. Lawrence & State of New York. Deponent knew John Dallison her husband from the time of their marriage until about the time of his death in 1817. Deponent knows that said John Dallison was a private soldier of the Revolution, but he cannot recollect the time of his entering the service. Deponent well recollects then understanding that said John Dallison was out in the service as a soldier & he now fully believes the same to be true, & it has always been reported in the family & in the neighborhood that he was such soldier. Deponent is confident that said John Dallison served at least for the period of seven years or near that term & was honorably discharged at the close of the war. He enlisted, as deponent saith, at Bolton, under Lieut. Ephraim Sawyer, in the year 1775 or 1776
Amos Sawyer
Worcester County ss
Subscribed November 19 1839. Then personally appeared the above named Amos Sawyer, to me personally known as a man of truth and veracity, and made oath to the truth of the foregoing statement by him subscribed Before me John G. Thurston, Justice of the Peace

State of Massachusetts County of Worcester ss.
Samuel Dallison of Lancaster in said County being duly sworn deposed & saith: That he is a son of John & Esther Dallison formerly of Lancaster & that he is fifty three years of age. Deponent further says that it was always understood & believed in the family that his father was a soldier of the Revolutionary war, & that he served in all the period of seven years. Deponent well remembers hearing his said father talk over his services & he distinctly recollects seeing him exhibit what he claimed as his discharge, which was written on parchment. It was in the usual & proper form of such papers & purports to be an honorable discharge. Since his father's death, Deponent has not seen his father's discharge of aforesaid & does not know what has become of the same. Deponent's mother now resides in the town of Lawrence, in the County of St. Lawrence & State of New York. Deponent well recollects hearing his father say many times, that when he came back home at the close of the war, that he had seven strips of cloth of another color sewed on his coat in token of his seven years service and an honorable discharge without being punished during the whole term of his service.

Deponent further says that he had often heard his father say that he was detached from the service of carrying a gun, and drove a baggage wagon two or three years, that contained a part of Gen. Washington's baggage, and that he was in one engagement assisting a company of artillery, carrying powder & balls to them during the battle, and that he said that during said engagement a powder box accidentally blew up and killed two men. Deponent further testifies that his father had often said that he served under Captain Clois. John G. Collyer
State of Massachusetts Worcester
Lancaster November 19/1839
Then personally appeared the above named Saml Dollen a person to me well known as being a man of truth and veracity and made solemn oath to the foregoing declaration by him subscribed as just and true.
Before me John G. Preston Justice of the Peace

Rev WIDOW, &c.
can
File No. 16,958
Esther Dillerson
Widow of
John Dillerson
Pr. New-War
Act: July 4 th 86
Index:—Vol. a , Page 189
[Arrangement of 1870.]

V N. York
Esther Dollerson let. to Hon. J. June 30. Dec. 1839
Act July 1836

Mr Lane's com pliments to Col Edwards and thanks him some papers received last day from Mr Gilliet
Flora of rep Jan 21 1840

Col Edwards
born of Pur

Yrs sincerely &c
Acting Secy of State

Mr. Love is compli- mented on Mr. Gump and begs his attention to the enclosed papers Boston Dec. 26 1889.

Ogdensburgh Jany 24. 1840
Sir,
I send you Mrs. Esther Dallerson's supplemental affidavit responding to your letter of the 30 th ult. Accompanying Mr. Dallerson's Claim, is evidence establishing the fact that John Dallerson served several years during the revolutionary war, & that a person of the same name was married to the Claimant. Hence I suppose the object of further answering, as suggested in your letter, is to identify the person who served & the persons married to her, as the widow claims. Her own oath is now, as I supposed it was before, full on that point. By reference to the affidavits of persons now residing in Massachusetts, attached to Mr. D's declaration you will see there is a mass of evidence to this point, which I should think would be sufficient. I will think

you to look at them. I presume they will be found to sustain her above statement. I would here remark, that it is quite difficult to collect from these aged persons clear & intelligible accounts of their recollections of the acts of others or - so remote a period, & there often seems to be some confusion in their statements. Mrs. S. however is more free from this difficulty, than most aged people & that great care with which she makes her affidavits induces me to rely upon what she says without any hesitation.
Yours obed servt R. A. Gilt
Col L. B. Edwards Com. Pensions

Hon. J. N. Fine AR

State of New York & ss: St. Lawrence County
Esther Solleson of the town of Oswegatchie in said County being duly sworn deposes & saith, that she resided at the time of her marriage to John Solleson as mentioned in her papers in which she claims a widow's pension, in the town of Lancaster in the state of Massachusetts, & that this marriage took place on the fourth day of July 1850, & that Simson Norrington, then residing in said town was the Clergyman who married her to her said husband. At the time of her marriage, the said John Solleson resided with her for a short time, in the town of Sterling in said State, but that about that time, or soon thereafter he came to said town of Lancaster to reside & continuing to reside there many years. As her said husband had not resided for any considerable time in Sterling before his said marriage, his residence in said marriage certificate may not state that fact correctly. Defendant further saith that she was not particularly acquainted with the said John Solleson until after he returned from the war, but understands generally that he resided in the town of Brooklyn in said State at one Joshua Towns end, before his enlistment. She does not know in what town he enlisted & does not remember where he said he enlisted. She knew the person under whom he enlisted the first time, his name was Stephen George, he resided in the town of Sterling, but when he enlisted his name she does not know. The towns of Sterling, Lancaster, Brooklyn & Stone Gap upon the same road & begin each other

The only laying the fastest form of Slave means to be Boston. There is a village in Slave to which people in Boston frequently resort, & there is a like village in Newbed to which people from said town of Boston frequently resort, there was not much of a village in the town of Boston. He might have enlisted in either of said towns, he left she is unable to say which from any recollection of her own, or information received from others, but she has no doubt in her own mind, that he enlisted at the time of places & under the persons mentioned in the Certificate from the office of the Secretary of State of Mass. subsequently attached to her application now on file in the office of the Commission of Pensions. And further this Defendant said not
Never before me this 33 rd day of January January 1841 A. P. Maynard Court Dues
Mr. Dutton Dutton + Dutton Mass

State of New York St. Lawrence County
ss
Lincoln Morris of Aglenburgh in said County being duly sworn, deposeth & saith that he married Eliza W. daughter of John & Esther Dillerson, formerly of Lancaster in the state of Massachu- setts. It has always been the tradition in the family, that his wife's father & mother were married in Lancaster on the 4th day of July 1786, & that the said John Dillerson had been a soldier of the Revolution & had served during most of the war. Deponent recollects of transacting business with him before he was married to his daughter & that he wrote his name at that time, Dill- erson, which was different from

State of New York St. Lawrence County } f. 1.
Ransom H. Gillet of Cadyensburgh in said County hereby duly sworn deposes & saith, that he drew the principal part of the affidavits of Elizabeth Whitcomb & Samuel Dallison & Amos Sawyer hereto annexed. That in writing the names of Esther Dallison & her late husband, he wrote the same from the usual pronunciation of the name among the relations of Mrs. Dallison in this village. That on receiving the annexed certificates of the Secretary of State of Massachusetts & town Clerk of Lancaster, before appearing with Mrs. Dallison, Mr. or Mrs. Morris of the way the name was spelt - Then, he inquired of them concerning the manner of spelling the same & that they each separately

gave this Deponent the statement which is incorporated in this respec- tive sworn statements hereto annexed, which he believes to be true Sworn before me this 16th day of Decr 189 D.C. Judson, Judge etc.
R. A. Field
City of Washington D.C. I hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Edward & Swanson whose name is signed to the affidavits of the above affidavits. The said signatures are genuine to the best of my knowledge at the date of the same was a Judge of the County Court of St Lawrence Co. NY qualified by law to take said affidavits I further certify that I am well acquaint- ed with Lincoln Morris & that the above deponents when they are in their witnesses
John F. Fife Mun. of Gov from St Lawrence Co. Dec 26 1889.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, November 20 th 1839.
I hereby Certify, That, from an examination of the Books and Documents, relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that the name of John Dollerson is borne on an account in the Army Books in this Department, as a private from Lancaster in Capt. Peter Page's Company, Col. Smith's Regt. and found credited there by his services from March 15 th 1777 to Dec. 31 st 1779, being 33 Months, 16 days at 40 s per Month. The name of John Dollerson again appears in the same books on an account, and found credited by his services from the 1 st day January to 31 st day of December 1780, (as a private from Stow,) being 12 Months, at 40 s per Month. Brooks Company, Col. Smith, Regt. In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
John P. Bigelow
Secretary of the Commonwealth.

V
4876
Adm'd Sept. 1877
Mar'd July 4. 1886
Col Smith } Msp & Line Capt Pugh }
Admitted Private 2 years
Hon. Jn. F. Fine HR

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, November 20 th 1839.
I hereby Certify, That at the dates of their several attestations John G. Thurston, Nathaniel Chandler, and Joseph Sawyer were Justices of the Peace for the County of Worcester,
in the said Commonwealth, duly constituted and commissioned; and that to their acts and attestations, as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given, in and out of Court.
In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
John D. Sleeper Secretary of the Commonwealth.

State of Massachusetts County of Worcester
ss: B:
Elizabeth Whitcomb of the town of Bolton in said county being duly sworn deposeth & saith, that she was well acquainted with the late John Dallison deceased, & his widow Esther Dallison who now resides in the town of Oswegatchie in the county of St. Lawrence & State of New York. Deponent knew them from the time of their marriage, which took place in 1784, until the death of the said John Dallison, & the said Esther until she removed to Oswegatchie of course to reside among her children there. Deponent knows that said John Dallison was a soldier of the war of the Revolu- tion. Deponent well recollects when he entered the service as a private soldier, & when he returned home with his discharge. Deponent thinks he first entered the service in the month of year — 1775 & that he was finally discharged about the year month of — 1783 — She knows that in all he served as such sol- dier at least the period of seven years. She knows this from the fact that she resided in Deponent's father's family when he enlisted, & that he returned there after he was discharged, & deponent used frequently to hear from him when absent in the service. She thinks he served under Elizabeth Whitcomb